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  • Students and Workers Rally to Save Jobs and Education
    Students and workers rally to save jobs and education, February 19 2010.
  • MTSU union members discuss campus concerns with State Senator Jim Tracy
  • UCW Members in Memphis meet with State Representative Barbara Cooper
  • Our Voice at the Legislature
    UCW-CWA members from across Tennessee during 2010 Lobby Day

United Campus Workers unites Tennessee's higher education staff and faculty into a strong voice to address critical issues we face. Our mission is to advance and defend the interests of all Tennessee higher education staff and faculty, as well as promoting solidarity, democracy, and advancing social and economic justice in our workplaces and in our communities.

Join our movement!

State Budget Passed- Includes "Workload Stipend"

Last Thursday night the State Senate passed a budget (30-3), and the State House followed suit on Friday afternoon (94-0).

Even though we did not cause this "great recession," working and middle class folks have certainly borne the brunt of its hard times. And as the recession continues, another year has come without a pay raise and hundreds of higher education workers face layoffs between now and when federal stimulus monies run out in June 2011. Despite these very difficult circumstances, our union has been able to force real progress this year

Public workers need an equal dollar service payment!

Already public workers and desperately needed programs have taken drastic cutbacks. Our state's teachers, higher education staff and faculty, and state agency employees have borne the brunt of Tennessee's state revenue crisis. Higher ed workers are facing additional layoffs at UTHSC in Memphis, at community colleges like Roane State, with more job cuts threatened for hundreds maybe thousands next year.

In the face of all of this we have done the only thing we can: stand together and fight back. In these last few days of the 2010 General Assembly we have real opportunities for our campaign to win major victories. One of the key fights will be winning passage of an equal dollar one-time payment to all public workers.

UCW-CWA to Nashville: Workers didn't cause this crisis, cuts to workers won't fix it!

Media outlets are reporting that state legislators and Governor Bredesen are considering a pay cut of 5% for all state employees, including staff and faculty at Tennessee's public universities, colleges and technical schools. Many of the details of the proposals remain unknown at this hour. The Governor offered the pay reduction as the alternative to closing a sales tax loophole on large ticket items over $3,200 (such as jewelry, fur coats, top-end furniture, large business purchases, etc.).

UCW-CWA adamantly opposes this pay cut proposal. Public workers did not cause this crisis and further pay reductions to working- and middle-class higher education employees, teachers and other public employees will not provide lasting solutions. Go to http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/stopthesalarycuts to send an email to legislators about this issue.

IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Tim Gaudin and Tony Patton address questions in the Senate chamber to UCW-CWA's lobbyist.
Tim Gaudin and Tony Patton address questions in the Senate chamber to UCW-CWA's lobbyist.

This UCW-CWA campaign update has several important developments, including:

  • UCW's largest member lobbying effort produces positive impact on budget hearings
  • Victory on layoff protections at TBR
  • Campaign for a fair bonus for all higher education workers making progress

BREAKING NEWS: 90 Days layoff notification from TBR Chancellor

United Campus Workers is pleased to announce that TBR Chancellor Dr. Charles Manning sent a memorandum yesterday afternoon to TBR system presidents and directors on reductions in force.  This memo came the day after higher-education budget hearings before the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee, in which Chancellor Manning stated TBR’s commitment to providing public higher education employees with the same amount of notice in the event of layoffs as other state workers receive.  The Chancellor’s comments at the Wednesday hearings came in response to questions posed by Rep. Harry Tindell (D-Knoxville), a longtime ally of UCW-CWA in the General Assembly.